1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a farrier's tool and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a hoof alignment tool for aiding farriers in the trimming and shoeing of horse's hooves.
2. History of the Prior Art
Constant hoof growth coupled with uneven wear requires frequent attention by a trained farrier in order to prevent lameness and to assure that a horse performs at its best.
A problem that has plagued farriers over the years is that of assuring that each horse's hoof is trimmed to the proper size and also to the proper shape so that each hoof strikes the ground at the proper angle. This is particularly important in the case of high stepping show horses such as the American saddle bred and the Tennessee walking horse.
In many cases, wedge pads have to be inserted between the horseshoe and the hoof to insure proper alignment. Heretofore, crude measurement tools have been used for this purpose along with good "eyeball estimates" made by the farrier which somtimes work out all right but ofter result in uneven stepping, lameness or accidents.